Moyo roasts Mutsvangwa

HARARE - As Zanu PF’s deadly factional and succession wars get nastier, Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo yesterday reacted with venom to threats by the pro-Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) to deal with him.

In a hard-hitting statement, Moyo also savaged War Veterans minister Christopher Mutsvangwa as a “rogue” factionalist and “desperate successionist” plotter, while once again describing under-fire Information permanent secretary George Charamba as a “blithering idiot”.

And in a stunning claim, Moyo also accused Mutsvangwa and his war veterans followers in the leadership of the ZNLWVA of using and abusing the Presidential Guard military barracks in Harare’s Dzivaresekwa high density suburb to plot their factional politics.

The biting statement followed weekend threats by the ZNLWVA secretary general, Victor Matemadanda, to bar Moyo — who together with other senior Zanu PF officials such as Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere and Indigenisation minister Patrick Zhuwao are seen as opposed to Mnangagwa — from attending forthcoming party politburo meetings.

“My attention has been drawn to a media statement by successionist elements in the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA), first reported by ZBC News on Saturday evening, 30 January, 2016 and subsequently carried by NewsDay and the Daily News on Monday 1 February, 2016.

“The statement declares support for scurrilous and unprecedented political attacks on Cabinet ministers, including myself, who are also politburo members by the permanent Secretary in the ministry of Media, Information and Broadcasting Services, George Charamba.

“In particular, the statement threatens to physically bar me from attending the next politburo meeting and purports to bar me from accessing the 16th Floor of Zanu PF Head Quarters, which 16th floor does not exist except only in their ignorant minds,” Moyo began his acerbic statement.

“Apparently, the said statement was issued after a provincial meeting of ZNLWVA held on Saturday, 30 January, 2016 at Dzivaresekwa Presidential Guard Barracks which was chaired by John Guta and officiated by ZNLWVA national chairman, Chris Mutsvangwa, and its secretary-general Victor Matemadanda.

“It is extraordinary and indeed scary that the Dzivaresekwa Presidential Guard Barracks was used as a venue for a meeting whose purpose was to plot and threaten physical harm against a Cabinet minister and politburo member appointed to both offices by His Excellency, the President.

“This was a gross and unacceptable abuse of a State facility. The fact that this unprecedented abuse of State barracks was officiated by (Chris) Mutsvangwa — a Cabinet minister and politburo member — not only raises eyebrows about what else was plotted, but also clearly demonstrates the extent to which Chris Mutsvangwa has gone rogue in pursuit of not just a factionalist agenda but also a desperate successionist plot,” Moyo charged.

“It should be remembered that ahead of the 2015 Zanu PF’s National People’s Conference, the same (Chris) Mutsvangwa availed his ministerial office to a shadowy youth group from which it made violent statements barring Cdes Saviour Kasukuwere, Patrick Zhuwao and myself from setting foot at the National Heroes Acre.

“Abusing a government ministerial office for that outrageous purpose was bad enough, but abusing Dzivaresekwa Presidential Guard Barracks in pursuit of a successionist plot is just going way too far.

“For the record, I wish to state that it is false and insulting to His Excellency, the President, to claim that he sent George Charamba to savage his Cabinet ministers and politburo members on public radio with all sorts of primitive insults such as “uneducated fools”; “little men” among other unprintable epithets.

“Cabinet ministers and politburo members are not civil servants, but are presidential appointees with whom His Excellency the President has direct communication as their boss.

“In the same vein and for the avoidance of doubt, I reiterate that only a blithering idiot will say or believe that I am working with Joice Mujuru’s People First project which exists only in the media,” he added.

“Finally, nobody should make the mistake of thinking for a moment that they can block me from attending a politburo meeting called and chaired by President Mugabe. That can never happen.

“Only the president can stop anyone from attending any meeting he convenes or chairs. For anyone else to seek to do that under any pretext whatsoever will be tantamount to usurping the president’s prerogative and authority, something which is not different from a successionist attempt at a coup,” he said in conclusion.

The move by the war veterans to attack Moyo followed controversial utterances last week by the hawkish Charamba, whose Zanu PF detractors say he is more and more flaunting his favoured side in the party’s succession wars, after he savagely shellacked Mnangagwa’s party foes.

Speaking in an interview with ZiFM sterio, Charamba labelled the ruling party’s ambitious Young Turks who go by the moniker Generation 40 (G40), and who are opposed to Mnangagwa succeeding Mugabe, as “foolish successionists” who are bound to lose this war.

He also accused the G40 brains trust of harbouring “sinister minds that speak in the name of the president but who are in fact successionists” — sentiments that immediately provoked an angry retort from Moyo.

“And here are these God’s deputies who will know when Mugabe will die, who can tell who can be vice president and who can succeed, and meanwhile, we must accept that they are not ambitious themselves.

“They don’t want to be vice presidents themselves but they know who must not be. They don’t want to be presidents themselves, but they know who must not succeed.

“Here are little men with absolutely no iota of history behind them thinking they can emerge as leaders of this country, with little minds, thinking boldness is age, no it isn’t.

“Here is one tragedy of those little fellas, and I call them little fellas, they confuse media skills with social skills. They think you can scale up the political ladder by tweeting through Twitter, not knowing that they are tweeting themselves to eternity.

“Who think that when you manipulate one or two headlines, you have a social base for launching your stupid ambitions, they will come to grief. They will come to grief. Get it from me,” Charamba said in what was seen as a naked attack on Moyo, and adding ominously that “I am speaking as president Mugabe’s press secretary”.

This was despite the fact that the Information Tsar had for long crassly argued that Zanu PF’s deadly factionalism was a creation of the independent media, which he has threatened repeatedly.

“They sit there with some little newsman, compose headlines, repeat arguments that they were saying when they were working with me and they think they are being discreet.

“They think we don’t see that. There are fangled hands everywhere and they think we don’t see that? Come on! The tragedy is to think that you think you have the brightest mind around and you are cleverer than every one. That’s tragic.

“Not only have they leaked the stuff but they do so in their poor English, which I know, and I am supposed to sit there, like a happy Buddha and I am supposed to keep my mouth mum when they are discussing the fate of the president, my boss ...

“My boss’s tenure is being discussed by his juniors. Does that make sense to you and this is what makes me angry. And when you point that out they give you a faction,” Charamba added.

The interview drew a sharp rebuke from Moyo who said Charamba’s views had become more and more political beyond what was expected from civil servants as he worked “in aid of a desperate faction”.

“There’s a silly Shakespearean wordsmith who thinks politics is about clever words & who sees himself as the system when he’s a factionalist!

“Zanu PF had 2 factions. Mujuru faction was expelled in 2014 & now exists in the media as PF. Thus only one faction remains a problem!

“Some of us with hard lessons on the 2004 tragedy of factions resisted the Mujuru faction not for the other faction but for Mugabe!” Moyo wrote.

“George Charamba’s media voices are no longer of a civil servant but of a politician in aid of a desperate faction. That’s unacceptable!” he added.

Comments (54)

Moyo should not threaten war veterans, when he is a Rhodesian project tasked to oust most war veterans from the Zanu Pf top echelons. He suceeded for some time, but now Zanu Pf has ccome to its senses and they are smoking him out. The game is up, Jonah.

machakachaka - 2 February 2016

Jonathan ane paakatsika chete.Aya haasi manyemwe chete.

chimuti - 2 February 2016

I fully concur with you that Jonathan Moyo should be stopped from destroying the revolutionary party from within. His clear agenda is to decimate ZANU (PF) and those who support him should reflect about what they are doing because the Party will soon implode. It is suicidal to have ZANU (PF) without the likes of ED, Mai Mujuru, Monica & Chris Mutsvanga, Oppah Chamu Muchinguri etc because the aforementioned are the pillars of the Party. It is time all cadres close ranks and stop this madness. Comrade Charamba I salute you for your bravery in closing a spade a spade.

Chief Charumbira - 2 February 2016

I fully concur with you that Jonathan Moyo should be stopped from destroying the revolutionary party from within. His clear agenda is to decimate ZANU (PF) and those who support him should reflect about what they are doing because the Party will soon implode. It is suicidal to have ZANU (PF) without the likes of ED, Mai Mujuru, Monica & Chris Mutsvanga, Oppah Chamu Muchinguri etc because the aforementioned are the pillars of the Party. It is time all cadres close ranks and stop this madness. Comrade Charamba I salute you for your bravery in closing a spade a spade.

Chief Charumbira - 2 February 2016

Haiwa Daily news is the only media outlet which takes Jonono serious, even Herald haicha print tsvina idzi...iyo statement yacho maiona here ku herald ...Its only Moyo's paid journalists who still want to elavate him to a god ipo pasisina

hameno - 2 February 2016

So, who in Zanu PF is for president Mugabe and who is not? It's only a matter of time before this degenerates and some physical fights and that will be dangerous, in fact, very dangerous. God forbid.

Titus - 2 February 2016

so where is this going. I thought its bad when people wash thier dirty linen in public. Anyway maybe its end game for some of our politician. May they have nothing 2 lose after all.

Jonathan has always been a critic of Zanu PF, has previously vowed to destroy Zanu PF from within. He is still very bitter with Zanu PF government over the Gukurahundi genocide of 1982. At the moment he is in Zanu Pf as a matter of a marriage of convenience.. Watch this space.

Nicodemus Mirambwi - 2 February 2016

Yes finaly the comrades hav spoken.This moyo fellow will not set foot at politburo.pasi nemhandu,mharapatsetsetse.jona yu wr warned bfo by cde charamba who told yu to respect party elders including the president n yu defied that warning .last sunday president then personaly gave yu a warning to desist from yo ugly ways of disrespect.again yu defied him,twice.now this politburo meeting is to specially deal wth yu.yu idiots delivered the stupid socalled signatures prematurely.that is the evidence of yo devisive shananigan schemings.yu finished.president appointed vp mnangagwa and barely a yr yu not happy wth that decision.yu want it changed.to suit who?and I answer for yu,to suit yo western sponsors.yu failed.yu r a snake carrying poison.a chalatan.yu think yu bigger than presidium.a worhless character,shit schemer.this time the comrades wont let yu by.

viola gwena - 2 February 2016

Drawing Charamba out of his closet was the best move by Prof J.moyo..and funny enough Charamba fell for it. Its too late to stop Prof, the guy has set a chain of events in motion and the curtain is coming down on the revolutionary party. Even Mugabe himself knows that prof moyo "ane musoro wakaoma se damba'.

X-MAN IV - 2 February 2016

Prof:Jonathan Moyo is a Rhodesian mole..as i see now ZANU-PF had come to its sense to see his unfinished mission of selling-out the revolutionary Party's principles...this time that ZANU-PF can sniff him out of the organisation...Pro:Jonathan Moyo fighting WARVETERANS is fighting the entire Military Wing of the Governing Party in Zimbabwe...i see your survival now too slim in the Party ZANU-PF...

silungisani ndlovu - 2 February 2016

The only sensible statements come from Jonathan Moyo, the rest are open mouths shut mind opportunists who do not deserve to be in Government at all. This talk of war veterans is hog wash, most of the genuine war vets are dead. So the so called G40 are children of the war vets, and Mutsvanga is a big time crook , with a lot of dirty deals to be considered as a serious contender. ZANU PF inenege yatofa.

reason - 2 February 2016

Lets be honest to ourselves and to the whole country of Zimbabwe. Divisions are not good and will not benefit anyone in the party and outside. It is the recept of self distruction. Fairness should be the rule of the game.

moses muchayaya - 2 February 2016

Emotions will not pass for rationality:Never! Prof.Moyo has immutable facts against a torent of half truths or simply hot air that can stand had this been a banana republic.So there are those who think that they are the pillars...aah what hog-wash.

Membathisi - 2 February 2016

This sacuss must continue until there is no more ZANU PF. The old chapps have nothing new to offer, they are bunch of sunk costs to Zimbabwean youth and the economy as a whole.

Mentalist - 2 February 2016

the demonic winds are now swirling and ebbing around all zanu pf politicians. I wish if it can engulf them till they are all lost in their madness which borders on retaining power at all costs

mhofu - 2 February 2016

It is time ZANU PF acted to remove Jonathan Moyo from the party before he succeeds in dividing the party members in order to achieve his goal of destroying ZANU PF. Some of us who have been loyal members of ZANU since 08 August 1963, think that the party should concentrate on winning the 2018 Elections and get rid of detractors like Jonathan and his colleague in the so called G40.

Ingram Washanda - 2 February 2016

Its now very clear on whose side Cde Supa Mandiwanzira is, first he gives Charamba space in the Herald, then on Zi Fm and lastly does not cover statements from G40.....

zanu yaora - 2 February 2016

forget about Jonso and try out that one for money you will earn 10$ per user invite from below link: http://dollartab.com/?ref=183793

baba vevana - 2 February 2016

Supa goes were the wind is blowing. He was brought into politics by but he sold him out. As for the Professor do not be intimidated by fake war vets. I have seven brothers who participated in the liberation war. The stories we hear are not very convincing . Some of them never fired a bullet. Most of these guys went for poor training and deployed back towards the end of 1978. This was the time when peace talks had started . It's not a coincided that we do not hear of any major battles that c an be recorded in history . The truth is zero. So the Prof .do not move an inch. Most of these fake war vets will be exposed after 2018 elections.

Bewarned - 2 February 2016

I hate this viola gwena shit . u are always saying shit in this platform. Do u know that your shit Mnangagwa killed us and u think u can sell that crap in Matebeland. U are a dunderhead

Ndoda - 2 February 2016

Moyo has the propensity if creating too many labels for others. He is the creator of so-called factions. There is nothing wrong in politics for someone to befriend Emmerson or Mphko or Moyo himself but so doing calls for a label from other than this murosbhangu. I think Mugabe must tell him your time is up thank you bye!

wamaromo - 3 February 2016

I support anything and anyone whose value recognizes that we have one centre of power,HE RG Mugabe

Nyasha Musekiwa - 3 February 2016

Moyo did not go far enough. He should have asked for investigations about Mutsvangwa's abuse at the ZBC. We have had enough of these war veterans and their sense of destruction and self entitlement.

I Zanu Pf ayizange isisebenzele ikakhulu thina amaNdebele what they did to us is to kill us if u ask Mugabe what he did for the Ndebeles he will say i killed them so let Pro Moyo destroy the Zanu PF thank u Pro Moyo

Jabu - 3 February 2016

zanu will never collapse bcz of this cheap politicking.keep on watching ladies and gentlemen, very soon all this will come to an end.Bobo will not let this going for long.

Cde ZEX - 3 February 2016

This is good for zanu.let people converge n put in their wishes.Evryone is wellcome except sellouts like moyo.zanu is a large political party.does anyone write about MDC?NO its a boring party.They culd have moyo n perhaps his schemes may bring in sme excitement,some form of excitement.Bt zanu will caryon.The comrades will forever be part of zanu.zanu is in love wth us n us too.we welcome all in zanu bt dont come to lead zanu,join and understand zanu then move wth zanu,dont move during the night when leaders are sleeping.Its not President Mugabe by himself who leads zanu ,he has good vice president mnangagwa also,General chiwenga General sibanda.The day these comrades left for mozambique training ,they imediately became politicians.It was liberation n politics.dont underestimate zanu.we still have a good fight in us.and we have children,who take after us.we layed the path for them.yu can form yo parties for money bt dont expect an easy ride.take on us we take on yu.These fights yu see in zanu will all go when election time comes.we unite .so to mdc s this is yo chance .go for it.be visible.dont cry campaign time when we tell yu its election tyme.do it now.dont wait for mugabe to speak for yu to speak.do it .bring it on,dont be scared.its all for yu now.

viola gwena - 3 February 2016

viola yu hate MDC,yu hate G40,what is it in them,whats the common factor.or yu enmvy them.MDC is quiete bcoz they r observing the silly fites in zanu.we need to pik the pieces when zanu is dead this yr.haulume viola.cme to MDC,we wil honour yu.zanu wil destroy yu .soon yu will be hunted down by yo faction G40.

gire - 3 February 2016

the truth is that everybody must be chased from ZAU PF so that this circus can come to an end

zingizi - 3 February 2016

Viola idiot is is idiot indeed why do you bring in MDC here ? You are always out of topic blood sikeberishi .zanu knows without Moyo tthey are doomed bcoz all in zanu their heads are full of sewage stuff and never think .Leave our mdc alone zibabweans have know propblem with mdc but with zanu which has 20000 dead human bodies under its belt . Next time you must think before you you suza and hallucinate here .

Diibulaanyika - 3 February 2016

Dhibhu its yu who is brainless.watukwa naani zvawavekungotuka viola.yu hav no brains.we dnt want to be represented by stupids like yu.get out of mdc wth yo fowl tape worm dirty mouth.yu justcant sayyo point wthout insults.

This article has brought out two very contrasting issues to the fore. One, it clearly shows that the Daily News will give acres of space to anyone who shows signs of rebelling against Zanu-PF. Two, the comments do show that Zimbabweans know what is good and what is bad about our politics. This being an anti-Zanu-PF paper, one would have expected to see (nay hear!) ululations for Prof Jonathan Moyo, but nay, it's the opposite. I must say I am very impressed.

@blaz and gidza you are angry bcoz Viola is your Mantanyula and i am very and with her bcoz she always praise gukurahundi Munangagwa you are also blood idiots like her you must have smoked your own shiit demety .

Why read my chat just ignore it to me i never insulted anybody and it is my right to write what i want .Why dont you tell your father Mugabe to stop insulting people including powerful leaders in the world blood pretenders .

Diibulaanyika - 7 February 2016

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